When it comes to funeral care, more than half of Americans today opt for cremation over burial. But did you know that more people are choosing cremation for their pets, too?

At Coleman Funeral Home, we frequently get calls from pet owners asking if we provide cremation services for pets. Fortunately, we do provide a separate crematory for animals only.

Coleman Pet Services provides cremation services for as many as 80 pets from all across North Mississippi each month. That number is steadily increasing.

Here are three reasons why:

1. It’s easier than burying

Burying a pet is hard in many ways. Just finding a place to bury a pet can be the hardest part.

What if you don’t have a good burial spot? What if digging a pet’s grave is more than you can physically do? What if you bury your pet on your property, then move away later?

Cremation eliminates these problems. It gives pet owners the ability to always keep their pets with them.

2. Your pet gets professional care

When pet owners choose cremation, a funeral home takes care of the pet for them. For example, Coleman Pet Services works with veterinarians across North Mississippi. We pick up deceased pets directly from veterinarian offices free of charge. Private pickups from the owner’s home can also be arranged.

After cremation, owners can come to the funeral home to pick up an urn with their pet’s ashes.

3. Memorial options are a special keepsake

Cremation offers meaningful ways to commemorate a pet that are more long-lasting than traditional burial.

Among North Mississippi pet owners, popular choices include paw-print jewelry, custom blankets that feature the pet’s picture, or even handcrafted art glass that incorporates some of the cremation ashes.

Some pet owners find the most comfort in choosing an engraved urn that can always have a special place in their home. Pet owners today can choose from a wide variety of designs and materials, from marble and hardwoods to brass or salt rock.

For others, there’s meaning in choosing an urn that will naturally biodegrade and return their pet’s ashes to the earth. There are even pet urns embedded with perennial wildflower seeds, to bring new life to your pet’s final resting place.

Two options for cremation

How does pet cremation work? Coleman Pet Services offers two different options.

Pet owners can choose private cremation, in which their pet is cremated by itself. This option starts at $200 for small pets, with the price increasing by weight.

The second option is communal cremation, in which as many as four pets are cremated together in separate chambers.

The separate chambers ensure that the ashes you receive are your pet’s alone. Some pet crematories will return to you a mix of ashes, so it’s important to find out whether that’s the case when you’re choosing a crematory. At Coleman Pet Services, communal cremation starts at $75.

Do you have questions about using Coleman Pet Services for your animal’s care? You can reach our caring professionals day or night, by calling Coleman Funeral Home in Oxford at 662-234-3900.

To view our complete Coleman Pet Services brochure, including popular memorial items and pricing, visit colemanfuneralhome.com/what-we-do/pet-services.